R. S. Ashby - Sarah Hughes: Americas Sweetheart

Americas sweetheart

R.S. Ashby

For Becky, Sarah, Jessie, Kathryn, and every
other girl with a dream

I see her! I see Sarah!

A girl in a pink jacket jumped up and down in excitement. She was standing along a parade route trying to catch a glimpse of her hero, Sarah Hughesand there she was, coming down the street!

It was March 10, 2002, Sarah Hughes Day in Great Neck, Long Island. Sixteen-year-old Sarah Hughes had just won the Olympic gold medal in womens figure skating, and the town was throwing her a big welcome-home party.

Gold ribbons and bows fluttered along the towns main street. Arches of golden balloons rose into the sky. Mannequins in store windows wore gold medals around their necks. American flags flew everywhere.

Store windows displayed handmade signs: C ONGRATULATIONS S ARAH AND F AMILY FROM G INOS P IZZA! C ONGRATULATIONS G OLDEN S ARAH FROM THE P ERSIAN C OMMUNITY OF G REAT N ECK! T EMPLE E MANUEL W ELCOMES S ARAH!

A guy in a red suit and white beard held up his own poster: S ANTA L OVES S ARAH . Everyone, it seemed, had a special message to send.

The owners of Sarahs favorite neighborhood delicatessen, the Deli on the Green, made a display of her name spelled out in submarine sandwiches, and prepared a bouquet of gold roses just for Sarah.

More than 60,000 people had gathered on this crisp windy day to show their love and pride. This wasnt just any sports star. This was their Sarah, who grew up in their town and went to their high school. And now the kid whod started her career at the local ice rink had gone and beaten the best figure skaters in the world. And not at just any old competition. At the most prestigious sporting event of all the Olympics.

In an interview with a reporter, one friend shared how its been really special to see [Sarah] develop from when she was young and [the Olympics were] just a dream, and a goal.

Now the high school band was marching down the street. Sirens blared, and firemen waved at the crowd. Riding in a big cream-colored vintage Thunderbird, New York Senator Hillary Clinton smiled her biggest smile. Senator Chuck Schumer followed, waving enthusiastically.

A Zamboni zigzagged down the middle of the street.

And therewerent those Sarahs brothers and sisters in that convertible? They looked just like her! Congratulations! the crowd yelled, shaking their gold pom-poms.

But where was the champion herself? Sa-rah! Sa-rah! people started to chant.

Finally the big moment arrived. Wearing a bright red coat and her giant gold Olympic medal, Sarah Hughes came into view. She was sitting on the backseat of a black Bentley with her coach, Robin Wagner, and her mom and dad, John and Amy Hughes.

Waving and laughing, Sarah was having a wonderful time. Her trademark winning smile was broader than ever. She was so happy to share her victory with all her friends and family, who she described as all those people who Ive known for years and with whom Ive always shared my dreams and my goals and my skating.

To Sarah, the past two weeks had been just like a dream. She still had to pinch herself to make sure it was all really true.

Its the greatest time in my life, she told reporters. So far. I cant believe so many people watched me skate and shared the enjoyment I went through and so many emotions. I was happy to share it.

What was really amazing was how she had suddenly become a role model for so many kids across the country. People say, I want to be just like you, Sarah said in disbelief. I never thought anyone would want to be just like me.

But they do. At the rink in New Jersey where she trained, Sarah wannabes announced that they, too, long to go to the Olympics someday. A sixteen-year-old said, It really paid off, all her hard work. That is the lesson for all of us. A thirteen-year-old skater on Long Island commented, This has taught me to always stay confident and do your best no matter what.

But it isnt just skaters who look to Sarah for inspiration. Everyone, young and old, believesher story has a special meaning for them. A twelve-year-old from Sarahs hometown summed it up: It makes you feel like you can follow your dream, and you can win, too.

Sarah Hughes, all-American hero, has seen her dream come true. How did she do it? How did she become the Golden Girl?

It all started with a little girl in a yellow snowsuit. She was three years old, and she wanted to ice skate more than anything in the world. She took a few steps and splat! down she fell. Determined, she got up and tried again. Splat! She gave a big grin. Already, Sarah Elizabeth Hughes loved the ice.

She was born on May 2, 1985, in the town of Great Neck, Long Island. Sarah was the fourth of six children, two boys and four girls. Her parents, John and Amy Hughes, had always wanted a big family. When he was a boy in Toronto, Canada, Johns parents used to care for foster babies. John got used to having lots of kidsand toys and diapersaround. Home wouldnt be home without plenty of children. So first there was Rebecca, then David, then Matt, Sarah, Emily, and Taylor. The future Olympian grew up in a very full and busy house.

From the beginning, the Hughes children were expected to excel in athletics and academics, just as their parents had. John and Amy met at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where John was captain of the ice hockey team. In 1970 the team won the national championship, and John thought about going pro. But when he didnt make the final cut for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he went on to law school instead. Amy, meanwhile, went to graduate school for accounting.

But John Hughes hadnt lost his love of hockey. So when the growing family moved to a big split-level home in Great Neck, he built a hockey rink in the backyard. He wanted his kids to enjoy pick-up hockey games whenever they wanted, just as he had growing up in Canada.

It wasnt a great rink, Sarah told Long Island daily Newsday years later. The ice was bumpy. There was some wiring underneath and, for a little bit, we had a Zamboni. But it broke down, and my dad stayed up all night hosing the ice down.

Her oldest brother, David, who had already had some figure skating lessons, took to hockey immediately. So did his tag-along pal, Matt. But hockey wasnt Sarahs thing. My mom bought me a pair of hockey skates at one point, but I dont think I ever played, Sarah remembers. The flying pucks scared her. And besides, she didnt want to be on the ice with a bunch of other pushy guys in uniforms and helmets.

She wanted to skate alone!

Already Sarah wanted to be noticed, to be the best. I was always the one who demanded attention, Sarah told The New York Times. I was always very competitive, regardless of what it was. I tried to skate faster than [my brothers and sisters]. I always wanted to be the first to do everything.

Luckily, there was a big local rink nearby. Sarah used to go along with her older siblings when they went for lessons and practice. The kids would sit on the bench to wait for their mother to tie their skates. Once, because Sarah was so impatient, Amy did hers first. As soon as she was finished, Sarah flew off the bench and onto the ice. Frantic, her mother had to call out to the attendants to catch the little girl before someone crashed into her.

Next time, her mother put Sarahs skates on last. But Sarah couldnt stand to wait. So at age three, Sarah learned to tie her laces herself!